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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27495100">The Letters</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Babyphd/pseuds/Babyphd'>Babyphd</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The West Wing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-11-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 21:58:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,165</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27495100</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Babyphd/pseuds/Babyphd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of Letters over a Lifetime of Love from Jed’s POV</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Abbey Bartlet/Jed Bartlet</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Letters</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>First Meeting	October 16,1964</p><p> </p><p>Dear Abbey, </p><p>I enjoyed meeting you the other night.  I want to see you again.  You are so unlike any girl I have ever met.  Your laughter, intelligence, your long auburn hair, those magnificent green eyes, they’re all features that together make you special in my eyes. </p><p>Like I told you, I come from New Hampshire.  It’s a small state but a great state.  Maybe one day you can visit it with me. I know you’re from Boston and I find it surprising you haven’t had a chance to sample such a great state, but it would be a pleasure to introduce you to the special places I have and share them with you.</p><p>I’ll be in the library on Friday night.  I have paper due on Monday titled “The Great Religious Leaders of the Sixteenth Century”.  If you happen to be on the third floor, say about seven o’clock, maybe we can study together.  Afterwards, maybe I’ll spring for a soda at the Student Center.  That is if we can get past the Vietnam protesters.  I haven’t made up my mind yet about this war.  Maybe we can talk about it after we study together.</p><p>Anyway, come if you can.  I want to see more of you and the library is a                good place.</p><p>Sincerely, </p><p>Josiah (Jed) Bartlet</p><p>P.S.  If you show up on Friday night, maybe I’ll tell you where I get my     nickname.</p><p> </p><p>***************</p><p> </p><p>Wedding        May 14, 1967</p><p> </p><p>My Love,</p><p>Today is our day.  The day I’ve been waiting for forever.  At least it seems that way.  Today is the day that I can say you are Mrs. Josiah Bartlet.  </p><p>I remember the first time I met you.  I knew then I wanted to stay with you forever.  For you to be my wife.  And now, finally, it’s coming true.</p><p>I want to be with you twenty-four hours a day.  I don’t want to be without you for any longer than I have to.  I want to lie by your side, to stroke your soft skin, to kiss your tender lips, and to be as one.  I can’t wait until we have children.  You will be a great mother.  And a great wife.  I just know it.</p><p>Today, as you come down the aisle, don’t think of it as an end, but as a beginning.  A beginning of a wonderful time.  A time full of love and hope for the future.</p><p>I love you.  And I’m so glad you said yes.  Just a reminder to say ‘I do’ when the priest asks.  I know that’s what I’ll be saying.</p><p>See you soon.  I love you so very much and I can’t wait to start our life together.</p><p>Your dearest Jed.</p><p> </p><p>************</p><p> </p><p>Birth of Liz      August 30, 1968</p><p> </p><p>Hi Mama,</p><p>Does that sound strange?  It does to me.  But now we have Elizabeth, a seven-pound proof of our joint love.  I know how much you gave up to move across an ocean.  And I really do know how hard it has been to be so far away from your own mother at a time like this.  </p><p>But you have shown your love for me in so many ways these past months. Coping with my long hours at school during the week and even longer hours on the weekend studying.  But one day it will pay off.  And when it does, I want you by my side.  You are the reason I’m doing this.  For you and our child.</p><p>You make me complete and ready to face whatever life brings.  Our love is strong and I know that it will continue to be that way.  As long as we’re together.</p><p>Love, Jed</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Birth of Ellie          September 25, 1976</p><p> </p><p>Dear Abbey,</p><p>You have brought another daughter into our world.  She s perfect.  I know you think that I wanted a boy but all I truly wanted was for you and the baby to be healthy.  I love Eleanor just as much as I love Liz.  But I love you much, much more.  You put your dreams on hold for me but now is the time for you to go forward.  It is your time now.  As you have been there for me these past few years.  </p><p>I love you, Abbey.  And I love the children you have given me.  As long as we’re together, with our two beautiful daughters, we can face anything.</p><p>All my Love, Jed</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Elected to New England House of Representatives        November 12, 1969</p><p> </p><p>Abbey Sweetheart,</p><p>	Victory! Thank you for standing beside me and all of your encouragement. I really want to help the district and I can’t without knowing I have your and the girls’ support behind me. I made a promise that I would be home every night to help with homework and baths and I intend to keep it. I will never let legislative work get in the way of family life. I believe in us and I have faith I can keep the promise. I know it will be hard, what with your residency schedule but we’re young and we can handle anything with God’s help. Just remember when things get tough that I love you with all my heart and soul. That will never ever change. And thank you so much for believing in me and what I can accomplish.</p><p>Love, Jed</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Birth of Zoey	December 16, 1980</p><p> </p><p>To my beautiful mother of three,</p><p>We did it again. Well, I guess I should say you did it again. I know that we really didn’t discuss having a third child, what with your hectic schedule and me being gone so much, but when God gave us this beautiful gift, neither one of us could turn Him down. She’s so perfect. Looks just like her mom. I hope she turns out like her too. Down here in Washington, I miss her already, I miss the midnight diaper changes and handing her over to you for nursing. To look at both of you so calm, so beautiful in the moonlight coming through the curtains. Have I ever told you how beautiful you are when you are giving life to our children? I should tell you more often.  I know that we are sometimes so busy with our family that we forget about us but I don’t. And I don’t want to ever forget that the two of us are just as important as the five of us. Let me tell you once again how grateful I am for having found such a wonderful woman to share my life with.  And you don’t ever forget that as well. And I look forward to so many more years with you.</p><p>All my love, your grateful husband, Jed</p><p> </p><p>************	</p><p> </p><p>Winning Nobel Prize in Economics    December 28, 1985	</p><p> </p><p>Dear Abbey,</p><p>	All I can say, is WOW! And I’m so glad that you and the girls were there to share the honor with me. Because without your patience and understanding I never could have spent the tine in devising the theory that I was awarded the Prize for. It took hours and hours of concentration and research and meant hours and hours in my office away from the family. But you were always saying that you understood. In reality I doubt that you did but rarely did we argue about the time. I guess because you spent so much time away yourself. When we were home, either singularly or together as a family, we gave our undivided attention to the girls. I think so far, they’ve turned out okay. And wasn’t the trip to Sweden fun? I’m glad we could afford to take the whole family. It was very educational for the girls to see all the historical landmarks and learn something about a different country. And I must say you looked real smashing in the purple number you wore for the formal ceremony. I wished we weren’t sharing a room with the girls or else you know what would have happened. Oh well, we made up for it when we got home, didn’t we? A little late but it was still very good.</p><p>Well, I have to get some sleep. Think about me when you get this and when I get home the next time maybe we can think about adding some more makeup time. </p><p>All my love, Jed</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Election to House of Representatives        January 10. 1987</p><p> </p><p>To My Special Wife,</p><p>Isn’t this unbelievable? We’re going to Washington. Well, to tell the truth I’m already in Washington and you’re in Manchester so the girls can stay in school and you can stay at the hospital in Boston. That’s the agreement we made. And I can’t thank you enough for the sacrifice. And I know it is quite a sacrifice.  We will be apart and it will be tough on the family. I will come home as much as I can. I don’t want the girls to miss me too much. Or you.  But with God’s help we will make it. It’s such a great opportunity for me. I can help so many more people than I could just being in the state legislature. We made it through there and we’ll make it through this as well. I love you so much. And thank you for agreeing to have a housekeeper. Mrs. Wilberforce will certainly relieve some of the stress on you. That was a great idea.  </p><p>Listen, we’ll talk every night before bed. Although I won’t be there in person, I can certainly give you some sexy ideas to help you sleep. By the way, only you will be on the call, right? No children? Just wanted to check. No need to give them ideas any sooner than they will get them. Anyway, I need to run. My first vote is coming up and I have to go. I love you so much. Stay tuned for that call. It’ll be worth it. </p><p>Your sexy husband, Jethro</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Twentieth-Fifth Wedding Anniversary     May 14, 1992</p><p> </p><p>To my Darling Wife,</p><p>Twenty-five years since you walked down that aisle and agreed to marry me. I still remember how beautiful you looked and that smile on your face. So much has happened in these years. Our love for each other has brought us three children whom we love so much. Your career as a surgeon in which I have seen you grow and mature. My career as a public servant and your support in that.  But underneath all those “things” has been the fact that our love has only grown deeper for each other. At times we have only had the phone to keep us company but I have tried to make up for those absences when we were together. I have tried to carve out time in our busy lives to be just us. But as much as we are apart, I want you to know that I love you more than I did twenty-five years ago and I will love you every day in the future. In fact, I want as many years as God will give us together. No matter what the years bring us please remember one thing. I pledged my love to you twenty-five years ago today and I pledge my love to you every day in the future.</p><p>Your husband forever, Josiah</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p> </p><p>Governor of New Hampshire   January 25, 1993</p><p> </p><p>Abbey my dear,</p><p>Here we are again. A new job.  Are you comfortable yet in the new house? We’ve been in the farmhouse for so long that moving into the Governor’s Mansion must have been a struggle. I’m sorry I couldn’t help you more but I’ve been so busy trying to set up my new government. It’s much more work than trying to get a Congressional staff together. I’m also sorry that I haven’t been home more often but again closing out the Washington office and staying in Concord was easier than driving back and forth to the farm after late night meetings. Now that we’re settled in the Mansion, I’ll probably be at supper more often. Well, of course until the Legislature is in session. </p><p>I love that you and the girls gave me such incredible support for the campaign. You four have always been my biggest supporters and I really appreciate that. I want you to continue your practice in Manchester but there will be sometimes you will need to First Lady here in Concord. You have a staff now that you can work out the schedule with.</p><p>But my term is only for four years and that is really only a short period of time. After this is over, we will go back to the farm and life will resume as normal. I will go back to teaching and you can continue your practice fulltime. I love my family so much. Please always remember that, even when I forget to say it.</p><p>Love, Jed</p><p> </p><p>**********</p><p>Election Night (first)	 November 6, 1998</p><p> </p><p>My First Lady to be, </p><p>We did it! I’m President-Elect and you’re my First Lady to be. Isn’t it exciting? I’m exhausted and I know you must be as well. But I’m excited. And a little scared.  From being Governor of a small state to being President of some three hundred million people is going to such a big challenge. But Leo thinks I can do it. And I know that we have talked about this many times. You believe in me too. And that helps so much. I know you love me with all of your heart and soul and believe that I can meet such a challenge. With you by my side the next four years I can meet any challenge. I had a long talk with God the other night. He said he gave me you for this one reason. So, I could have the strength and courage to serve as President of the United States. Thank you for marrying me. And I hope to serve both you and Him well. And I will keep my promise to you. My health is as important to me as it to you. I will eat well. I will sleep a lot. I will try and keep stress at bay. I love you Abbey. And I want to live with you as long as God allows.</p><p>All my love,	</p><p>Your future Commander-in-Chief</p><p> </p><p>*****************</p><p> </p><p>Inauguration	 January 20, 1999</p><p> </p><p>Dearest wife,</p><p>As I lay here next to you on our first night in the White House, I think over the past few weeks. I haven’t seen you very much but there’s not a minute I haven’t thought about you. What you have sacrificed over the years that has made it possible for us to get here.  The long hours away from each other, the missed meals, the single parenting, the missed holidays and anniversaries, and only God knows what else. I can only hope that in your eyes it is all worth it. Today when I placed my hand on the bible you held in your hand and I upheld my other hand and swore to uphold the oath of President of the United States of America please know that you were in my thoughts at that time. That every word I spoke in my address to the nation was spoken directly to you. That every dance tonight I only had eyes for you. You looked stunning in that red gown with those sparkly things. I never can remember what they actually are. But whatever they are, you looked stunning and that gown will be the best one in the Smithsonian collection. Too bad you won’t be able to model it in private for me. Anyway, I love you. And know that when we’re not quite so exhausted, I’ll be glad to show you just how much. But right now, I’ve got to get some sleep. Leo wants me to start meeting him in the Oval at seven am every morning so I’ve got to get some shuteye. But I bet I’ll dream of you in that red gown.</p><p>Good night my First Lady, Jed</p><p> </p><p>***************<br/>
Rosslyn	October 7, 2000</p><p> </p><p>Abbey,</p><p>I saw the fear in your eyes at the hospital.  And it’s still there. We both knew that danger was always a possibility in this job. But I was lucky. And we both know it. I am recovering now. I made it though. It had to be horrible to hear about it but it also had to help to see me and know it wasn’t all that bad.  Josh had it so much worse. I was only in surgery for a couple of hours. His surgery went on for over twelve. Hey, I know it’s different. I’m your husband and he’s not. But we still care for him a great deal. </p><p> I’m going to be fine. You know that.  The doctors at GW told you that as well. You’ve already made your assessment of me. When we got back to the Residence, I had to submit to a thirty-minute exam before you would even let walk to the bathroom by myself. And I let you because I didn’t want you to worry. You had already worried enough for the both of us in the past forty-eight hours. I’m going to be fine. I didn’t have a relapse either. Now that was a relief to both of us.</p><p> I promise I will take it easy but I do have a country to run. I will take a couple of days and stay in bed but after that I have to get back to the Oval. I love you sweetheart and I’m sorry for the last few days.  Please let the fear leave those eyes. I want to see love there. Okay? I’ll be fine.</p><p>All my love, Jed</p><p> </p><p>**********************</p><p> </p><p>Election Night (second) November 6, 2002</p><p> </p><p>Dear Abbey,</p><p>What can I say but thank you for supporting me once again? You may not have agreed in the beginning for me to run a second time but you saw how much this meant to me and eventually supported my belief that the job was not yet done. I cannot say how much your support has meant to me. This will be my last job. Not only my last political job but my last job. I have to have you by my side or the experience will not be worth it. You have always been my soul, the reason for my existence. And you know it. I am glad that you stayed here and will go through these last four years with me. There are still so many things we can get done together. Together, Abbey. That’s all I have wanted to do all my life since I met you. Go through my life with you.  So, as we start the final four years in the White House, let’s remember to do this together.</p><p>All my love, Jed</p><p> </p><p>*******************</p><p> </p><p>No Reason	 April 3, 2005	 </p><p> </p><p>Abbey,</p><p>Just a few thoughts. I’m sitting at my desk as I have a rare break and I’m thinking about you. Just wondering about you and what you’re doing. I know you’re at the farm. You left yesterday. Said you had to clear your mind and think. I’m sorry we got into another argument.  Seems like we’re having quite a few of them lately. I guess the stress of the job is getting to me. I really don’t mean to bring the job home. I didn’t use to. Even in the first term I tried my best to keep the job separate from our lives but now it seems to permeate everything I do. The hours seem to be longer and the time I spend with you seems to get shorter and shorter. I want to spend time with you. To talk like we used to. Not about my day or your day but about us. About insignificant things. About the girls. About things that are important to you. About what you are thinking about. When did I lose that ability? </p><p>Well, I have to close. I have another meeting to get to. But please know one thing. Please remember that I love you. That I always have and I always will. That is the one thing that will never change between us. The one thing that the Presidency, no matter how busy it forces me to become, will not change.</p><p>Please come home.</p><p>I love you so much, Jed,</p><p> </p><p>********************</p><p> </p><p>Leaving Office	 January 19, 2007</p><p> </p><p>My Dearest Abbey, </p><p>Eight years. It’s over. I have such mixed feelings. I know you are happy. Happy to have your husband again all to yourself.  Happy not to have three am wake up calls or all-night empty beds because of some world crisis. Happy not to have to paste on a false smile, stand in three-inch heels for hours and hours, and shake hands with hundreds, probably thousands of Democrat fat cat donors and their wives. Happy not to have interruptions of some of our most, shall I say, intimate moments. I’m sure Charlie, Leo, may he rest in peace, and a number of agents will be glad for their lives to return to normal. But I guess Matt and Helen will now experience such fun times. Anyway, we did do some good. And with time we will remember the good we both did. And you did so much good for the children of this country. You really did. Sure, neither of us got done everything we wanted to get done but I think history will be kind to us.  We had a great staff and they helped us complete a great amount of the work we came into office pledging to get done. I can see a great future for each of them. </p><p>Tomorrow we leave the White House for the last time, get on that big white plane, alone, just the two of us and head back to Manchester for a future of who knows what. But that’s okay. You know why? Because we will be together. Just the two of us. Oh sure, we’ll have the girls, two son-in-laws and the grandchildren, but they have their own lives now. We will be only responsible for ourselves. I want to get reacquainted with my wife. I want to get reacquainted with the woman I married. Yes, time has changed us but I hope the essence of who we were way back then is still around. I think it is. I love you so much more than I did then. The trials and tribulations of the past forty years have of a way of deepening that love and I look forward to sharing that love with you.</p><p>Soon to be just your husband once again,<br/>
Jed</p><p> </p><p>******************</p><p> </p><p>Aging Together		 May 24, 2017</p><p> </p><p>Dear Abbey, </p><p>I turned seventy-five today and I just wanted you to know how much I love you. I’m so thankful that God has seen fit to have us together for fifty years. That’s a lifetime. And I’ll value the unknown number we have before us.  </p><p>We have seen many things over our lifetime, some good, some bad. Sometimes we have fought and have taken months to see our way back to each other. But we always have. Now, in the autumn of our years, (Oh God! did I just say that?) things are slower. We sip the fine wine of life and enjoy each other’s company. Have time to warm each other, to share ourselves and our souls even more than we have in the past. I’m glad you’re still with me. It has certainly been a bumpy ride at times but now, let’s just enjoy the home stretch.</p><p>As always, Jed</p><p> </p><p>******************</p><p> </p><p>Final Goodbye	 September 8, 2018</p><p> </p><p>My dearest Abbey,</p><p>Reading this means I have left my physical body and my soul has met God.  I asked Zoey to give you this a week after my death so I could tell you for the last time how much I have loved you since the day we met so long ago.  I don’t know what I died of, but I’m sure I put up quite a fight.  A fight to live so I could spend more precious time with you, my love. </p><p> I want to thank you one more time for being by my side for however long God saw fit to give us.  I know you’re grieving.  I understand that but I hope you are also thinking about the good times as well.  I want you to move on.  One day we’ll be together again.  Of that I’m sure.  So, enjoy your life.  Enjoy the girls and the grandchildren. Enjoy life itself.  It’s so very precious as I’m sure you already know.</p><p>Do me one more favor.  Don’t look back for too long.  Look forward.  Forward to the time that we’ll be together again.  This time for eternity.  But if you find another love on earth, then you have my blessing.  Because I know you’ll be mine forever.</p><p>All my eternal love,<br/>
Your Husband Jed</p>
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